tech changes

snowy sunnyside yards
LIC, Queens, NYC











Switched to Fios; bundled all my verizon packages together; dropped a land line as I don't need a dedicated fax line anymore. Still have Blackberry; once verizon gets IPhone I might be able to sync up everything on Mac Platform. Still use PC for various web related projects. No more Flip video. Contemplating web cam.

the power of google

A picture of Long Island City Queens.












I continue to be amazed at how Google/You Tube grows and expands. Google's GMail and Calendar functions read my email and categorize it (for example anything that mentions NYU--where I teach-- and is received by gmail seems to automatically end up in an NYU folder--which I set up)

Today I received a suggestion from Google to add an appointment I had scheduled for this upcoming Friday to my Google Calendar --which, by the way, I have never used.

Each day applications appear, and attempt to grab a share of usage. Others just continue to improve and morph into easy to use functions. I think back to my Palm Pilot 10 or 12 years ago--very cool for the time. It's too bad more American companies aren't like Google...or Apple or even the behemoth Microsoft....we would have had a stronger economy had we focused on this type of R and D.

2010

Technology and content continue to blossom and interact at faster and faster rates. Whole house DVR's; thousands of apps everywhere; widgets rising....fiber to the home as in FIOS--the analog to digital transition continues to accelerate...fb with 100mm plus monthly users...facebook is the ultimate "scrapbooking tool". I am currently involved in an online high school reunion solely because of FB. A class member digitized yearbook photos and challenged facebook members to both sign up other class members as FB members and as people signed on they were challenged to identify all 400 odd classmembers WITHOUT consulting their yearbook. A collaborative and collective process which has encouraged hundreds of comments--on individuals primarily...I have encouraged 3 people to sign up and they all are now on Facebook and members of the reunion class fan group. Whereas before a reunion would be A DAY and a TIME; this pre reunion (the actual one will be in August) can be help any time...kind of like what I imagine 2nd life to be like...tho I have never played it. You can enter and re-enter at your discretion; some will spend more time than others--but whatever happens it certainly represents the power of fb media and I will continue to track it here.

my favorite sport
swimming
in palawan, el nido, philippines, June 09

end of year

12/26
maya here and off to bolivia

Philippines and Hong Kong

just returned from asia...2 weeks plus in Philippines plus a few days exploring (yawn) Hong Kong

this is a place we loved...Ilocos Norte region of Philippines and this is Saud beach in a P..a well planned area with few resorts and lots of good people with a great vibe...had lunch with ex mayor..Pagudpud





I only did one real media related thing in Hong Kong


besides take this picture with timer from our hotel room at the Conrad International Hotel
















we ordered food via the internet and fresh direct so that after 3 weeks in Asia we would have something to eat today while recovering from Jet Lag...the internet allowed us an easier transition..why weren;t there more successful companies popping up over the past few years? will the stimulus plan provide more growth and buid business while trying desperately to catch up with crumbling infrastructure?
In Hong Kong, they are anticipating a need for another bridge to the airport so they are building it..their subway is easy and clean..unlike the poor excuse we have for the NYC subway...a prime example of a wonderful system which truly needs repair and rebuilding...

anyway the food ordering online was cool...and really represented a transition,,I also paid mortgage and lots of other stuff online; but it was the IMMEDIACY of the food order and the timing between one time zone and another 13 removed ..that fusion of communication and delevery worked.

nyc parking facility snow maintenance

lic

today

we are off to the philippines on sat for 3 weeks

warm weather ahead

ahoy 2009